Vandeventer is a taskforce leader at the forest service's wildland firefighting school, which is designed to give a week of intensive training to crews that range from rookies to veterans.

“It’s important to get these guys this experience so when they show up on a fire they know what they’re doing,” Vandeventer said.

About 200 trainees graduated from the school last Friday. And it really is a school – crews head out to the sites in a caravan of yellow school buses, and even get a headcount as they climb aboard.

Doug Savin is a 43-year-old statistician for the U.S. Forest Service in his regular life.

He said his four years in the Marine Corps left him with a need to feel ready to pitch in during crises.

“In the Marines, everybody has to be able to pick up a rifle and fire at the enemy if necessary,” he said. “And I feel kind of the same way about fire. If there's a fire in my home district, I want to be able to help out.”

The trainees spend about six hours a day putting out huge piles of burning brush. They clear trails around the fires, dig fire lines, use pumps and set up fire shelters.